Russian President Vladimir Putin is begging his remaining Moscow allies to have weapons to bolster their invasion of Ukraine, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said.
Shapps’ comments come on the heels of a report by White House National Security spokesman John Kirthrough, who told reporters Thursday that Russia has recently used North Korea’s short-range ballistic missiles in several airstrikes across Ukraine. Kirthrough said the movement of weapons between the two countries is a “significant and troubling escalation” in the war, which has been strained between Moscow and Washington, D. C.
“The world has turned its back on Russia, forcing Putin into the humiliation of turning to North Korea to continue his illegal invasion,” Shapps said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday morning, referencing a BBC report on Kirby’s press conference. .
“In doing so, Russia has violated several [U. N. Security Council] resolutions and endangered the security of some other component of the world,” he said. “This has to be prevented now. Together with our components, we will ensure that North Korea “will pay a maximum price for its products from Russia. “
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s email on Friday for comment.
Putin has stepped up his airstrikes on Ukraine in recent days, and Kirthrough said some of the strikes were carried out in part with weapons provided through North Korea. According to U. S. intelligence, at least one ballistic missile provided through North Korea was fired through Russia on Dec. 30 and landed in an open box in the Zaporizhzhia region. Moscow also introduced several North Korean missiles in its overnight attack on Kyiv on Tuesday, according to Kirthrough.
Kirby also told reporters Thursday that Russia is believed to be closing in on a deal with Iran for additional short-range missiles, saying the U.S. is “concerned” such negotiations are “actively advancing.”
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries have unequivocally supported Kyiv’s army, enforcing an unprecedented number of sanctions against Russia and offering Ukraine billions in military aid and weapons. In return, Russia has sought to forge military allies with countries such as Iran and North Korea.
In July 2023, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu pledged to maintain military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang after meeting with his North Korean counterpart Kang Sun Nam. A few months later, when Putin met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, U. S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. He warned Kim not to supply Moscow with weapons for its war against Ukraine.
Reuters reported on Friday that Russia and North Korea have denied allegations of involvement in a deal.
Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter for the Night Team founded in Boston, Massachusetts. She focuses on national news and politics, where she has covered occasions such as the 2022 midterm elections, live election rallies, and candidate debates for Newsweek. He also covers court matters and stories of criminals. Kaitlin joined Newsweek in May 2022 as an intern before starting full-time work in September 2022. She graduated from the University of Dayton and in the past worked as a news intern at the Cincinnati Enquirer. You can reach Kaitlin by sending an email to k. lewis@newsweek. com. Languages: English.